[joyadecarolina]

found a 70 30-06. the rifle has the 3 diamond checkering iron sights and the plastic "W" grip cap. the rifle also carries a KOWA scope whick i can find zero info on. the rifle is $300. am i looking at a great deal or a fair priced rifle?
thanks

[H&Hhunter]

Joyadecarolina,
Do you have a serial number?
Is it a push feed or a controlled feed action?

If it is a post 64 pre-new claw extractor and it's in great shape then it's worth about $250 or $300. If it's a pre 64 controlled feed then it's worth every penny of $300 if it's in any kind of condition at all. And it's worth $300 or better if it's a modern controlled feed as well.

[joyadecarolina]

i dont know push or controlled. its got a jeweled bolt, iron sights and the 3 diamond stock. i figured it was probably posr 64 due to the plastic "W" grip cap. any idea on kowa scopes? i found a site that sells kowa optics but no scopes. the glass was really clear and had a german post type recticle.
serial 784****

[Jim Watson]

I think you have one too many *'s, I really doubt they have made 7 million M-70s. SN 784,000 was made in 1965. $300 is within the book value depending on condition.

I have never seen a Kowa riflescope but my Kowa spotting scope is great. A riflescope of equal quality would add a lot to the usefulness, if not the dollar value of the rig.

[joyadecarolina]

sorry about the extra *. the stock is whats throwing me off. i have looked at every M70 on gunsamerica and i cant find one w/ the 3 diamond pattern. i did locate one kowa scope on auction arms. it seems that if you remove the windage turret and flip a small button/switch you can turn the riflescope from a standard cross hair to post and back. the owner of that one said he bought the scope 30+ years ago. so i am guessing it has been on the rifle since 65 or there abouts. the rifle is in grat condition w/o the usual silver colored muzzle. the BBL and bore are EX condition.
i know that pre 64 means alot for collectors, which, i'm not. does the fact that it was made in 65, right after 64, mean anything?

[C.R.Sam]

Not mainstream but Kowa optics are very good...excellant even.

Sam

[H&Hhunter]

Controlled feed Vs push feed, real easy to tell. Look at the bolt on the same side as the the bolt handle it either has a little piece of metal running down the length of the bolt that curves around the side of the bolt face to physically grab the rim of the shell (controlled feed). Or it is just a standard old plain jaine notthing on it bolt. Either can be jeweled.

Kowa scopes are cool tools I had one on a sporterized 03-A3 and loved it!

[dakotasin]

easiest way for me to tell if it is push feed or not is look at the bolt face. if it looks like a remington bolt, it is push feed. if not, it is probably controlled feed.

[joyadecarolina]

well, i went ahead and put out the money for it. i figure a EX condition iron sighted M70 w/ a rare kowa scope is worth at least the $298.53 i'm paying

[Lone Star]

Are these three diamonds in the impressed checkering on the pistol grip? Is the checkering on the forearm in two pieces, separated by a plain line of wood?

If so, you have the worst M70 of all, made between 1964 and 1968. But it's still a solid gun that will work well, in the main. The barrel will also be rather obviously free-floated.

If the bolt on yours doesn't over-roatate and bind a little, it should do fine by you, and they're often very accuirate.

Lone Star

[Jaywalker]

Even if it's the 64 - 68 variety, I wouldn't worry. It'll still work, and Winchester sold so few of them that it'll likely be a collector some day. If it's the original stock (pressed checkering instaead of cut), I know we'd all appreciate a picture of it. There just aren't many around at all. Can you really get your finger in the channel between the barrel and stock fore-end?

If the Kowa's like my 60's vintage and is a variable, the reticle will appear to get fatter as the power increases. My father in law still has a 60's Kowa on his Marlin 30-30. These were made in the day when we considered "Japanese-made" to mean "cheap." I remember throwing away a pair of Kowa binoculars that "weren't worth repairing." :rolleyes: What can I say - I was young.

Jaywalker